Kaizer Chiefs coach Baxter hits back at Orlando Pirates' Davids: Not in my nature to apologise for winning

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has dismissed his Orlando Pirates counterpart Fadlu Davids’ claims that he issued an apology for the penalty which handed Amakhosi their winning goal in Saturday’s Soweto Derby showdown at FNB Stadium.

A second-half brace by Keagan Dolly, including an injury-time penalty, fired Chiefs to a 2-1 victory over Pirates who got their goal from Linda Mntambo three minutes from full-time.

After the match, Davids claimed Baxter apologised for the penalty converted by Dolly but the Briton denies that.

“Let me clear up what I actually said to Fadlu after the game,” Baxter told the media as per iDiski TV. 

“Because I went up to him and I don’t like rubbing people’s noses in, so I tried to be a little bit politically correct, so I said ‘these refereeing decisions they can go both ways, etc.’ Very nondescript. 

“I wasn’t apologising for anything, that is not in my nature to apologise for winning.  But I did say that decisions go either way we know, well done, good performance. And I said ‘Fadlu, you and Mandla are doing a good job’. That was our conversation.”

As the match appeared headed for a draw, referee Victor Hlungwani pointed to the spot after Pirates defender Olisa Ndah appeared to have pulled Khama Billiat back inside the box.

“The penalties I thought, I’ve not looked at them, but every player that I’ve spoken to said it was a penalty in the first half,” added Baxter.

“I thought there was a red card in the first half, very early on. And the penalty that we got right at the death was a penalty, I mean their defender is climbing all over Khama and I think it’s clumsy.

“But that’s the sort of thing that happens when you just scored a goal, the adrenalin is pumping and the opposing team puts you under pressure in that time of the game, you’re a little bit tired and you make a bad decision.  I’ll look maybe again tonight and I’ll say it wasn’t. But you’re asking me now.”

Saturday’s result was Chiefs’ second straight Soweto Derby triumph over Pirates in league games.